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Directing traffic!

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Directing traffic!

Postby >>>---WW----> » 06 08, 2013 •  [Post 1]

About a week or so ago, I received a PM reguarding a post I had made where I mentioned that the sooner a lone hunter learns how to direct traffic, the sooner their odds for success will increase.

I've been doing this for years. But I never really thought about giving the tactic,(or tactics) a name. I have to give Troy Bungay of Glacier Game Calls the credit for the phrase, Directing Traffic. It just seems to fit what I have been doing all along and it sounds like he has been doing the same thing also.

Directing traffic is nothing more that making an elk that is coming to your calls change direction or to keep him from hanging up out of range. This can be done in several ways. And possibly many more ways than I have even thought about.

The main way I use it is sort of like tha good vintriloquest (sp) would do by throwing his voice. In other words you try to make your calls sound like they are coming from a different or farther direction than where you are actually at.

Now I know all of you have probably seen cow callers place their hand over their mouth and try to cast their sounds fron side to side. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Guess it all depends on how good you are. But, if you turn your head in the opposent direction when going it, your odds of casting your sounds to the side are increased.

I always wear a camo jersey glove on my draw hand. Now, when you learn to start muffeling those same sounds with your cotten jersey glove, not only does it increase you odds, but it makes your calls sound lke they are coming from much farther away. Many times I have had elk come into easy shooting range rather than hanging up just out of range. This can also work with bull sounds as well as cow mews. Just use your imagination.

When hunting with a partner, we all know the trick of moving the shooter up or moving the caller back in order to get the bull into shooting range. Well, for the lone hunter this just doesn't work. And I'm sure you have all heard of calling and then moving up 30 yards or so. That's fine if you don't get caught moving. So when hunting alone, my glove is my partner behind me. Learn to cast those sounds from side to side and far behind you and you'll be directing traffic to.

I know there are different ways and different sounds to get an elk to react by moving or change direction of movement. But the above is basically what I meant in a previous post when I used the term directing traffic.
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Re: Directing traffic!

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 06 08, 2013 •  [Post 2]

Very good information WW.. Thanks for elaborating on my question. I called in a pretty nice 5 point satellite in ID last year doing just what you've explained. I was hunting solo that day and was very close to a herd getting ready to bed. The side hill was thick as Abe Lincoln's whiskers and I set up where I had some kind of shooting lanes.. Now, how to pull the herd bull or even a satellite over that thick false ridge 70 yards away? I had heard at least three bulls as I moved up with the herd since daylight (one honker and a couple of satellites). Very, very light pleading cow sounds on my diaphragm into my cupped hands, almost so quiet they couldn't be heard (as you mentioned, giving the illusion that the sounds were perhaps a bit farther away). Well, the herd bull liked me and as he was trying to call me in, here comes a young upstart doing a batman dive over that ridge! He stopped 30 yards away as I came to full draw.. Way, way to much junk (alder) in the way for a shot so eventually (5 seconds or less) he decided somewhat was fishy and went crashing back up and over. The very soft calls interested the bull and gave the illusion that the lonesome cow was farther than she (I) was. I've also muffled my tube when in close giving screams and chuckles.. I believe this provides the same illusion. I've heard folks say (even you I think) that having a rock hand to throw left or right, can help direct traffic. I have never done this but am interested to hear if you or anybody else has used this method. I think Paul may have mentioned this also. Thanks again.. great stuff! RJ
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Re: Directing traffic!

Postby Glacier Country » 06 08, 2013 •  [Post 3]

Directing traffic!

Post by >>>---WW----> » 06 08, 2013

About a week or so ago, I received a PM reguarding a post I had made where I mentioned that the sooner a lone hunter learns how to direct traffic, the sooner their odds for success will increase.

I've been doing this for years. But I never really thought about giving the tactic,(or tactics) a name. I have to give Troy Bungay of Glacier Game Calls the credit for the phrase, Directing Traffic. It just seems to fit what I have been doing all along and it sounds like he has been doing the same thing also.

Thanks for the plug WW. We are actually called Glacier Country Hunting Calls.(Grin)
I wear fleece gloves when I do this or put fleece in the end of my bugle tube sometimes.I have only had a very few people call in elk for me so most of the time,even when I am with someone else I am doing the calling. So I have learned some lone hunter tactics.
First the elk have to break 30 yards to see the scenario I am painting in their mind to make them commit to come in.
I also try to make one last call when they are coming through the trees at about 50 yards I point my tube or use my hand to cup the sound and cup the sound to send it a certain direction. Which will direct the bull where I want him to go.( Direct Traffic)
I have also learned that as a solo hunter you will have a frontal shot on elk a fair amount of the time. So I have learned how to make that shot.
Picture the shirt pocket on your t-shirt. Shoot them there at 20 yards or less. I learned that Shot from Big Dan Moore.
Thanks again for the Glacier Country Hunting Calls plug! Troy--->
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Re: Directing traffic!

Postby no limits » 06 09, 2013 •  [Post 4]

good info as i will be a solo hunter this year i'll start practicing at throwing my calls thanks again for the good info
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Re: Directing traffic!

Postby ElkNut1 » 06 09, 2013 •  [Post 5]

Good info guys, I hope many are reading this & logging it into their memories, many of us have cast our sounds from time to time & yes it does work well, there are times I try to have an object at my feet like a rock the size of a ball so that I can toss it on oncoming elk in the direction I want them to take, it gives them the illusion that the elk they are seeking has just moved in that area it can also give ones a better angle on the elk, this can work well for lone hunters or the shooter alike in two man setups.

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Re: Directing traffic!

Postby mtnmutt » 06 09, 2013 •  [Post 6]

Thank you for the information. Ever since reading WW original statements, I had wondered how to do this too and have been practicing.

I wear merino wool gloves above 30 degrees and fleece outwear gloves below 30. Hopefully, the merino wool gloves will have some effect on casting the sound. I am a poor judge of sounds.

Is 50 yards out the minimum distance for an elk to do the "directing traffic" with throwing your calls and/or rock? Obviously, you don't do this if they are looking right in your direction. If their view is blocked at <50 yards, can you get away with it and will it work?
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Re: Directing traffic!

Postby Trophyhill » 06 09, 2013 •  [Post 7]

mtnmutt wrote:Thank you for the information. Ever since reading WW original statements, I had wondered how to do this too and have been practicing.

I wear merino wool gloves above 30 degrees and fleece outwear gloves below 30. Hopefully, the merino wool gloves will have some effect on casting the sound. I am a poor judge of sounds.

Is 50 yards out the minimum distance for an elk to do the "directing traffic" with throwing your calls and/or rock? Obviously, you don't do this if they are looking right in your direction. If their view is blocked at <50 yards, can you get away with it and will it work?


Yes it works on those close encounters too. I kind of stumbled onto this last season when the bull I called in was coming straight in and stopped at around 60 yards looking for the cow he heard. In past experiences doing nothing failed me every time. With the bull peering in my direction I knew I didn't have time to do nothing so I slowly turned my head in the opposite direction and "threw" a faint cow call and it worked perfectly. The straight on bull changed his travel path in search mode and presented me with a near broadside shot after stopping him with a cow/calf chirp. Great info WW!
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